1
as in counterfeits
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
experts declared that one of the museum's prized paintings was actually a fake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frauds
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
a hidden-camera investigation revealed that the so-called psychic was a fake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in forges
to imitate or copy especially in order to deceive
pranksters faked giant footprints and then claimed that they had seen Bigfoot
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pretends
to present a false appearance of
while running for class president, Dan was not above faking friendship with people just to get their votes
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in devises
to perform, make, or do without preparation
if you give me the gist of the plan, I can probably fake enough for the speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in evades
to elude (an opponent in a sports contest) by making a deceptive or agile movement
the running back faked the defense by stepping to his left and then quickly cutting to the right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fakes
Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
Numerous fakes — most bearing watermarks for OpenAI’s text-to-video model Sora — have appeared online showing fake scenarios like severe flooding, images of sharks and people partying.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Advertisement There were also fakes following the four-day India-Pakistan conflict in May.
—Brady Africk, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
But if the Patriots suddenly stop running outside zone concepts, the associated play-action fakes become less effective.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Farid warned that the growing prevalence of AI fakes in politics could have a corrosive effect.
—NPR, 18 Oct. 2025
The offensive passing game benefited with play-action fakes.
—Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2025
The keen-eyed Matty spotted the key to Olympia’s new safe and then found a way to (1) Learn its location, (2) swipe the key, and (3) swap out the real documents for fakes.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
Its modest following often dismissed those posts as fakes, presuming the quartet staged spooky stuff for clicks.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
On fourth-and-2 from 48-yard line, Nix fakes pitch to Dobbins and Sutton is open from moment left line of scrimmage because of formation.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
The story follows Bárbara, rebellious and broke, who fakes her way into a convent for a private room and some peace—only to find herself on an unexpected spiritual journey.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
Or maybe the trend falters, fakes overwhelm the feel of exclusivity, and newer IPs eclipse it in the fickle pace of Gen‑Z fandom.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Sally fakes the act — loudly, while banging on her table — and brings stares from fellow diners.
—Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
That became a clear problem for an identification credential that is expected to be universal in a world where fakes are commonplace.
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
Numerous fakes — most bearing watermarks for OpenAI’s text-to-video model Sora — have appeared online showing fake scenarios like severe flooding, images of sharks and people partying.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Advertisement There were also fakes following the four-day India-Pakistan conflict in May.
—Brady Africk, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
But if the Patriots suddenly stop running outside zone concepts, the associated play-action fakes become less effective.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Farid warned that the growing prevalence of AI fakes in politics could have a corrosive effect.
—NPR, 18 Oct. 2025
The offensive passing game benefited with play-action fakes.
—Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2025
The keen-eyed Matty spotted the key to Olympia’s new safe and then found a way to (1) Learn its location, (2) swipe the key, and (3) swap out the real documents for fakes.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
Its modest following often dismissed those posts as fakes, presuming the quartet staged spooky stuff for clicks.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
Although the stage musical only shows Dorothy’s shadow from the other side of a scrim, her inclusion in the story is pivotal for Elphaba, who fakes her death after the Wizard of Oz protagonist throws a bucket of water on the Wicked Witch of the West.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
On fourth-and-2 from 48-yard line, Nix fakes pitch to Dobbins and Sutton is open from moment left line of scrimmage because of formation.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
The story follows Bárbara, rebellious and broke, who fakes her way into a convent for a private room and some peace—only to find herself on an unexpected spiritual journey.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
Or maybe the trend falters, fakes overwhelm the feel of exclusivity, and newer IPs eclipse it in the fickle pace of Gen‑Z fandom.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Sally fakes the act — loudly, while banging on her table — and brings stares from fellow diners.
—Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fakes
Noun
-
While fake goods have exchanged hands in informal markets since ancient times, the growth of online marketplaces has contributed to the rise in counterfeits because of how easy online shopping and selling have become.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,Paige Tortorelli,
CNBC,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Marq Vision was cofounded in 2020 by Mark Lee, a former McKinsey consultant who holds a Doctor of Law from Harvard, to identify counterfeits in online listings using AI.—
Zinnia Lee,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Notice how these two Third World frauds are in federal custody, not state.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
-
In the knee-jerk world of modern football, yesterday’s world-beaters are tomorrow’s frauds.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Maersk plans to deepen its commitment with India as the country forges ahead with its ambitious $1 trillion maritime and shipbuilding transformation.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Nov. 2025
-
As Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, forges an historic first week, its accolades extend to Billboard’s radio charts.—
Gary Trust,
Billboard,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But nobody pretends that number is reliable.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Each night on her ongoing Short n’ Sweet tour Carpenter pretends to arrest a member of the crowd.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Odysseus, the Ithacan warrior who is as celebrated for craftiness as Achilles is for brute strength, devises a clever ruse in which the Greeks place a giant wooden horse outside Troy’s walls and pretend to sail away.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Anime giant Crunchyroll has partnered with Luminopia, a digital health company that devises new treatments for significant neuro-visual disorders, for a new VR treatment for kids with lazy eye (amblyopia).—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The rest of the song fails to answer these questions and evades reference to anything else internet-y, focusing instead on litigating receipts and affairs.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Neither Father Burke or Sister Irene realize it at the end of the movie, but Valak evades banishment by possessing Frenchie.—
Julie Tremaine,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Forgeries, hoaxes, and other types of literary fakery have preoccupied Havens, a rare books and manuscripts curator at the university’s Stern Center for the History of the Book, for many years now.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Frauds, swindles, cons, scams, and deceptions — collectively known as hoaxes.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Week 9 of the college football season separated some contenders from pretenders.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The contenders, pretenders and everybody in between.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fakes. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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